The Woz talks business ethics, tech industry

Steve Wozniak and co-founder, Steve Jobs, have made Apple a household name.

Monday night, a crowd of hundreds filled Millett Hall to hear computer guru Wozniak talk about business ethics and the past, present and future of the tech industry for Miami’s 2017 Anderson Distinguished Lecture.

Wozniak and Jobs founded Apple Inc. in 1976 and soon after released the Apple II personal computer. This computer was integral in the development of the personal computer industry and positioned Apple as a giant presence in the tech world.

Although Wozniak left Apple in 1985, he continues to participate in business and philanthropic ventures. Specifically, he encourages student creativity and hands-on learning.

Despite constant pressures to accept “big money” while at Apple, Wozniak remained ethical.

Wozniak’s proven track record “fit[s] well into the Farmer School’s educational mission of developing tomorrow’s leaders whose skills include technical agility and flexibility so that they [are] well-prepared to grow and change with the evolving technology in business and socially adept to work in teams to creatively solve problems,” said Kirk Bogard, Assistant Dean for External Relations in Farmer.

Bogard said he believed the entire student body could benefit from hearing about Wozniak’s experiences in ethical decision-making.

“These are concepts we explore in our classes, but hearing them from an outside, well-respected source gives them a heightened level of credibility,” said Bogard.

Throughout the lecture, Wozniak referred to his lifelong passion for engineering and computer science.

“When you get motivated by something, it’s oftentimes more important than knowledge,” said Wozniak.

Sophomore Nicole Garcia-Salas attended the lecture and said she was impressed with Wozniak’s formula for success.

“If your main goal is happiness instead of money, you will be successful,” Garcia-Salas said of what she learned from Wozniak’s lecture.

The Farmer School of Business Anderson Distinguished Lecture Series was established 15 years ago by alumnus Jack R. Anderson. The series is constructed to expose Miami students to “the nation’s most prominent thought leaders.”

Bogard said that Wozniak perfectly embodied Anderson’s vision for the lecture series and provided valuable advice for students’ futures.

“[Everyday I think] what can I do today to be constructive, to move forward,” said Wozniak.